The Intelligence Test

Chapter 5

All the trees disappear. The lizard is reduced to a blank white space, like the basket, the math problem, and all the purple fruit.

It's just a blank box.

"What is this?" Skylar asks warily.

"I don't know. I've never read about this anywhere.."

A large blue screen appears before us, a happy face emblazoned on it.

Then, the happy face disappears, and text begins to roll out across the screen.

If you have reached this part of the Test, you are almost done. There are only a few things left before you receive your results. How are you feeling?

"Honestly?" I ask the screen.

Why, yes. Feel free to be as honest as you wish.

I regard the screen curiously. "I feel... relieved and scared."

"I feel accomplished," Skylar says, giving a textbook answer.

Wonderful. If you were to create anything you wanted, for this world, what would you create?

"A way for the wildlife here to become tangible," Skylar blurts out quickly. "The trees we have here are false, and the animals are barely-"

He cuts himself off quickly, like he's said the wrong thing.

Do you not wish to continue?

"Er, I think I've said enough," Skylar replies, eyes darting around nervously.

Alright, I see. And you?

Two pixelated eyes appear on the screen, and I swear they're looking at me.

I have to choose my answer carefully. Since I was five, I was told that the correct answer was to 'create new technology and advance society'.

But that feeling of doubt is creeping into me. That feeling of not knowing if my answer is correct, and not knowing whether it'll increase or decrease my score.

I can imagine it, though. The version of Riono I want to see.

I don't exactly know what happened next, but the white space around us became that version in my head. Trees, with leaves. Birds, chirping. Colorful buildings.

The system literally took the words out of my head and made them tangible. 3D figures.

The eyes of the screen glance around.. Curiously?

Interesting answers, Varolen Myrk and Skylar Peroal. I will return shortly. In the meantime, please enjoy yourselves here.

The screen disappears, and the city that was conjured fades away.

"So, we just wait?" I ask stupidly.

"Yep." Silence falls between us. Then Skylar asks," How'd you make the room display something?"

"I... am honestly not sure. I just imagined something and it worked."

"Hmm..." Skylar closes his eyes, and a few seconds later, something begins to take shape on the walls. A higher tech train, a larger farm. And more smiling faces.

This would be nice if the buildings had more variety....

Not even a second later, it does. They vary in size, color, and shape. A little like the buildings from the Earth Author Dr. Seuss's books.